Any of the shades of the Earth tones are great for your kitchen. The kitchen has a lot of the fire

Energy already because of the big energy of your appliances. So the trick now is to balance it with the Earth element. It can be any of the earth tones, yellows through the orange tones. Do not use the color red in your kitchen because you are actually adding fuel to the fire element. This can make for heated discussions in the kitchen and crabby, grumpy people! Negative energy will also affect the making of your food.

Refresh your kitchen by cleaning out the cabinets of old spices and down size all of those extra items that are hiding in the back. Check out your pots & pans, do they fit in the cabinet?

Do you have old décor on the tops of your cabinets? Time to refresh and cleanse the area.

Add new fresh energy to the space with opening windows to shift the old stale air out and bring fresh chi to all in the kitchen.

Stuff... we collect it, carry it around, live amongst it, and navigate our lives around it. Over time, the accumulation of “stuff” becomes clutter gathering dust, which then becomes useless junk that no longer serves a purpose.

The consequence of being surrounded by clutter results in congested energy, blocked creativity and no room to allow prosperity to flow into our lives. Much like a detoxifying cleanse that is recommended for a healthier body and weight loss, freeing our home of accumulated clutter will result in a healthier and uplifted environment, and ultimately our state of being.

It’s said that a cluttered environment makes for a cluttered mind. The constant distraction and pull of random objects and piles of useless items around us only scatters and erodes our energy. True to the ancient science of Feng Shui, the movement of energy forces have an enormous impact on our psyche and emotional state. Like our diet, our home will ultimately nourish us or drain us.

As we begin a new year, why not enter it with a lighter load and fresh outlook? Perhaps it’s time for you to take stock of your possessions and evaluate if you have use for them anymore. Whether it’s clothes and shoes you no longer wear, old furniture, magazines and CDs, dishes, ornaments and trinkets, or cupboards full of old products, there are plenty of outlets that will gladly take used items, and you can feel good that you’re assisting others in need. You can approach the process with a light heart rather than as a dreaded chore, knowing it will benefit you and others.

When does nostalgia over an item become a weight? As the perception of what’s “junk” is subjective, it will be your personal decision for what no longer serves you. Ask yourself; does this item bring me joy and inspire me?

Why not start with your purse? Then turn to your home and clear the corners, entrance ways, window sills, closets, and bedroom drawers, under the sinks, the basement and garage. It’s vital to clear the foundation beyond just the surface, leaving nothing festering behind closed doors.

A helpful strategy is to arm yourself with some empty boxes and garbage bags, with the intention of categorizing your throw-away items for recycling, garbage, gifts to others, and second hand stores. Start with something that won’t overwhelm you and leave you feeling inspired; perhaps that might be de-cluttering your car! After clearing out the junk from your home, you might find yourself enthusiastic to continue revitalizing it by washing the walls – think of washing away years of old energy beyond cleaning off dirt and stains.

Even more uplifting is adding fresh paint, new carpeting, flooring, curtains or blinds, new plants and better lighting.The purging process of de-cluttering your home is a healthy and liberating Feng Shui process, and you will be guaranteed to feel uplifted and more peaceful.

Don’t go through 2014 weighted down by unnecessary clutter. Make room for new energy and opportunities to enter your life.

Share this article

Yvonne Phillips, a Feng Shui expert and has practiced Feng Shui in Pittsburgh, PA for 18 years. She owns Creative Color & Design, a Feng Shui coaching business and also offers residential and business consultations. She splits her time between her businesses and working in the Hospitality industry at a private academy, Yvonne is certified with FSII's Master, Nancilee Wydra and has trained with Grand Master Lillian Too. She is the author of Feng Shui ABC-Project for a Weekend. Contact Yvonne at 412-215-8247 or visit her websites at creativecolordesigninc.com or fengshuipublications.com.